Weddings

Adare is a favourite place in Ireland for weddings, with its beautiful and picturesque setting and no fewer than three excellent hotels. St. Nicholas Church is a popular setting for both weddings and wedding pictures. 

All four churches in the Group of Parishes are available for weddings. Usually the Rector of the Adare and Kilmallock Group of Parishes, the Rev. Canon Kevin O’Brien, is the solemniser of any marriage taking place in one of the churches in the Group. If the couple would like another officiant (such as their own Rector from another parish), they should speak to Canon O’Brien. In addition, other clergy may participate in the ceremony by prior arrangement. To make arrangements for a wedding, please contact the Rector by email or by phone at (061) 396691 (from outside Ireland: +353-61-396691). 

Upon occasion, couples who are married elsewhere wish to have photographs taken at St. Nicholas. There is a €50 fee for this privilege, to be paid in advance. 

Anyone wishing to be married here, especially if they are from outside Ireland, should be aware of regulations from both the State and the Church of Ireland. 

State Guidelines

The State issues a Marriage Registration Form, through a civil Registrar. It is the responsibility of the couple being married to register with the State. Please note that the State requires at least three months notice. The couple must visit the civil Registrar in person. This means that a couple from outside Ireland will need to make at least two trips to Ireland: once to meet with the Registrar, and the second time for the wedding itself.

When a couple registers with the State, they give the name of the “solemniser” of the ceremony — in other words, the person who will officiate at the ceremony. To be married in the church, the couple should also give the clergyperson at least three months notice. This allows the clergyperson’s name to be listed with the State as the solemniser. It also allows for a suitable time of preparation for marriage and for the ceremony. 

Church of Ireland Guidelines

The Church of Ireland has issued the following guidelines for marriages: 

• At least one of the parties must be baptised and is a member of the Church of Ireland or of a Church in full communion with the Church of Ireland. (These include other members of the Anglican Communion, such as the Church of England and the Episcopal Church in the USA.)

• The ceremony must be in accordance with the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of Ireland, using one of the authorised forms of The Marriage Service. A copy of the marriage ceremony may be found here.

• There are at least two persons over the age of 18 present as witnesses.

• No Church of Ireland clergyperson is permitted to solemnise a marriage in any place other than a church or chapel of the Church of Ireland, unless the circumstances are wholly exceptional and the prior approval of the Bishop has been obtained.

• The place where the solemnisation takes place is open to the public.

• The parties have, prior to the ceremony, produced a Marriage Registration Form issued by the Registrar. The solemniser is not permitted to proceed with the ceremony unless the Form is produced.

• In cases where one or both of the parties to the marriage have been previously married and are divorced, the solemniser must consult with the Bishop before agreeing to solemnise the marriage.

Fees

The following fees apply for weddings or photography at the churches. These fees do not apply to people who have paid sustentation to one of the parishes in the current year, or whose parent(s) have paid sustentation. 

• Photography at St. Nicholas (for couples being married elsewhere): €50

• A wedding ceremony in St. Nicholas, Adare: €750. A deposit of €300 is due at the time of booking. The remainder of €450 is due two days before the wedding ceremony.

• A wedding ceremony in Croom, Kilpeacon, or Kilmallock: €500. A deposit of €200 is due at the time of booking. The remainder of €300 is due two days before the wedding ceremony.

• For any wedding using a wedding coordinator, there is an additional fee of €250, due two days before the wedding ceremony.

• Fee to the Rector: €250. This is payable at the rehearsal.

None of the churches has a resident musician. A musician (organist) can be arranged with advance notice. The fee is negotiable with the musician, but is likely to be in the neighbourhood of €150 or higher. Members of the parishes would also have to pay this fee.